Akinola Davies Jr.‘s debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, is heading to Netflix on September 21st. The announcement brings one of the most decorated African films of recent years to a global streaming audience, and could not have come at a more fitting moment.
The timing is hard to ignore. Just weeks ago, Davies was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of its 2026 class — a recognition that underscored the film’s lasting impact on the international cinema conversation. Now, My Father’s Shadow gets the wider platform its ambition always demanded. Akinola Davies Jr. Invited to Join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Set against the backdrop of the June 12 election crisis in 1990s Nigeria, the film is a deeply personal work rooted in memory, family, and political upheaval. Davies drew from his own childhood to construct a story that is both intimate in scale and expansive in what it speaks to — a father-son narrative unfolding against one of Nigeria’s most defining democratic moments.
The film collected a strong awards run on the circuit, earning Davies a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut, a British Independent Film Award, and a Gotham Independent Film Award. It was produced through Fatherland Productions, the Lagos-based company Davies co-founded, and shot entirely on location in Nigeria.
Its arrival on Netflix closes the gap between the critical acclaim it has already earned and the mainstream visibility it deserves. For audiences yet to encounter the film, September 21st is the date to mark.